


to salvage the fragments (of a home)

by Sakhyu



Category: The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System (人渣反派自救系统), 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 | The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System - Mòxiāng Tóngshiù, 镇魂 | Guardian (TV), 镇魂 | Guardian - priest
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bromance, Brotherly Love, Crossover, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 13:46:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17468720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakhyu/pseuds/Sakhyu
Summary: Once upon a time, there had been four Ghost Kings, and two sets of twins.(Or, in which Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan were the twin Ghost Kings before Shen Wei and Ye Zun, and thus had the dubious pleasure of raising two natural disasters.In other words, Zhao YunLan is tasked with meeting his new, scary in-laws, who apparently came back from the dead.)





	to salvage the fragments (of a home)

**Author's Note:**

> The existence of this fic is entirely @eikyrona's fault!!! Eik got me into Guardian literally right after school started, and within a week I managed to binge the whole series with my roommate bestie. And now I'm writing for the fandom. WTF.
> 
> Eik, I blame you!!!
> 
> Cough, come find me at my translation site [Sakhyulations](https://www.sakhyulations.com/) or my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sakhyuu)!

They had all left him behind.

Shen Wei registered this fact the night Zhao YunLan brought him to his parents. He had been sitting in the dining room with Zhao XinCi, making small talk as Zhao YunLan’s mother bustled around in the kitchen with her wayward son. (Of course, Shen Wei had offered to help, but he had been shooed away under the pretense of how he was the guest.)

The Black-Cloaked Envoy and the previous Director of the Special Investigation Department had been chatting about mundane things, careful to keep anything related to their respectful identities out of what should have been a heart-warming conversation. Needless to say, since official business had been taboo to discuss, it hadn’t been long before the two of them entered an awkward silence.

Shen Wei bit his lower lip and looked down at his hands as he listened to Zhao YunLan and his mother banter with each other in the kitchen. Not for the first time since he met Zhao YunLan again, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Because of him, the current Director of the Special Investigation Department had almost died several times in the past few months. And now, with how his powers had weakened considerably due to his severe injuries, could he even protect Zhao YunLan?

A warm hand clapped his shoulders, startling Shen Wei out of his grim thoughts. Blinking in surprise, he raised his head......only to catch sight of Zhao XinCi’s warm smile.

“Lord Black Envoy,” the man said kindly, and oh, of course, it was Zhang Shi. “Don’t mind him. He is as pleased with you as the rest of us. Welcome to the family.”

 _Family_.

The man’s gentle words made something stutter inside of Shen Wei’s chest. Contrary to one’s expectations, warmth hadn’t unfurled in him. Instead, Shen Wei felt...... _dread_.

Because, that was right. He was sitting there, on the leather sofa, because Zhao YunLan had wanted him to meet his family. But what about him? His family......Ye Zun had _died._

Ye Zun had died, leaving him truly all alone.

Shen Wei, the last Ghost King.

* * *

Once upon a time, there had been four Ghost Kings, and two sets of twins.

Shen Jiu, the oldest, was cruel but fair. He hid his spite and ruthlessness under a mask of deceptive benevolence, and the alluring upward curve of his thin lips.

Shen Yuan, Shen Jiu’s younger twin brother, had been detached yet kind. He forced his bleeding heart to hide behind a farce of loftiness, forced himself to look as aloof as his brother, even when the gentleness in his eyes gave him away.

The two of them had been roaming the world for a millennium before Shen Wei and Ye Zun had come into existence. For Shen Wei and his brother, there hadn’t been life before Shen Jiu and Shen Yuan. They had spent countless years _after_ without their older brothers, but their earliest memories had been Shen Yuan stroking their hair and holding their hands as he led the two of them home.

For Zhao YunLan, his first home was his mother’s cooking and her lovely smile. The home that he created later was the Special Investigation Department, with Zhu Hong, Da Qing, Lin Jing, and all his other precious comrades.

But for Shen Wei, his first home had been his brothers. His first home had been Shen Jiu and his sarcastic, dry comments as the man healed his bruises. His first home had been Shen Yuan and the way he had patiently taught him how to read and write. His first home had been Ye Zun ( _oh dear lord, his poor baby brother Ye Zun_ _—_ ), the way the younger boy clutched his hand and would never let go.

Sure, Shen Wei had built himself a new home in the millenium that followed the collapse of his family. He had built a home within his faith for Kun Lun, within all the lifetimes he had quietly passed alone. But even then, Ye Zun had still been alive. Stuck in a pillar, of course, but nonetheless _alive_.

But now...... _dage_ was gone, _erge_ was gone, and even _didi_ was gone.

“Xiao Wei?” Zhao YunLan spoke up softly as he threaded a hand through Shen Wei’s soft hair. “You’re being awfully quiet tonight. I’m sorry, had Ma been too much? I tried distracting her, but......”

In the darkness, Shen Wei tensed as Zhao YunLan began rambling in a nervous manner. After a while, however, he relaxed and then dove into Zhao YunLan’s arms.

“It isn’t that, your mother is a wonderful person,” he replied softly before pausing. “And, I’m fine.”

Perhaps something in his tone had tipped Zhao YunLan off, because for once, the other man didn’t question him any further. Instead, the Director tightened his arms and pressed Shen Wei into his embrace.

Eye fluttering shut, Shen Wei dozed off, accompanied by the sense of security Zhao YunLan’s hug had given him. Countless memories of his past flashed by in his mind, some happy and some sad, all in the pretense of a long dream.

Shen Jiu was there, grouchy and annoyed. Shen Yuan was there, gentle and patient. Ye Zun was there, his hand curling into his own as the younger boy laughed at him and called, ‘ _gege_ ’.

The next morning, Shen Wei woke up with tears trailing down his cheeks.

**Author's Note:**

> I had been amused that Shen Wei and Shen Yuan (+ Shen Jiu) have the same last name LOL. Even the character is the same! And thus this fic was born. I have a few other ideas for this kind of crossover AU (aka, Shen Yuan being Shen Wei's younger brother, or a Guardian!AU of Scum Villain, or a Scum Villain!AU of Guardian, etc, which I might write in the future......)
> 
> Dage means big brother, erge means second big brother, didi means little brother, xiao means little.
> 
> Also, this AU has both novel and drama elements mixed into it. Comprises of the novel ending where they both live, but with a slight change: Shen Wei still has his powers, he's just really, really injured and can't use them without vomiting copious amounts of blood LOL.


End file.
